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Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts

ASIA: Asian Studies

ASIA 100 (3) Introduction to Traditional Asia

A survey of the histories and cultures of Asia before 1600 and the coming of the Europeans. Emphasis will be given to parallel themes in the development of the civilizations of South, Southeast and East Asia. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 101 (3) Introduction to Modern Asia

A survey of the emergence of modern Asia. Aims at an understanding of how the various peoples of Asia have maintained distinctive cultural identities despite centuries of political, economic, social and cultural change. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

A comparative survey of the beliefs, assumptions and values which have shaped the civilizations of East Asia in both traditional and modern times.

ASIA 204 (6) Introduction to Asian Religions

The religions of India, China, and Japan in their interactions and cultural contexts, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. Equivalency: RELG 204.

ASIA 208 (3) Cultural Foundations of South Asia

A survey of South Asian cultures, including language and literature, art, religion, polity and society, as they developed in the past and have been transformed in the modern period.

ASIA 209 (3) Cultural Foundations of Southeast Asia

A comparative survey of the different cultures found in the communities of Southeast Asia. Focus will be on language and literature, arts, religion, society and polity, ideologies and belief systems in the past as well as in modern times. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 211 (3) Sex, Sexual Ethics, and Asian Religions

Sex and sexual ethics in the scriptures, monastic rules, rituals, and narratives of Asian religions, such as Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Indian literary and mythological texts, in genres from epic to lyric, as recast in contemporary Hindi film.

ASIA 222 (3) Encountering Asia

Introduction to the literary, religious, and philosophical traditions of at least two Asian cultures using foundational texts. Students will learn about these traditions by encountering them historically as well as through the lenses of their own diverse identities and contexts.

ASIA 223 (3) Writing Asia

This writing-intensive course is to be taken concurrently with ASIA 222. The seminar builds on the materials of ASIA 222. Students must have knowledge of or be enrolled in the study of one of the languages offered in Asian Studies.

ASIA 250 (3) Introduction to Buddhism

Origins, basic teachings, development of Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric traditions, historical spread first through Asia and later the world, and Buddhism in contemporary societies.

ASIA 254 (3) Sex, Gender, and Sexuality in Japanese Literature and Film

The integral role that sex, gender, and sexuality play in literary and cinematic works from Japan. Literary works will be read in translation, movies will be subtitled.

ASIA 258 (3) Religion in South Asia

The major religious traditions of South Asia, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism; the significance of religious thought and practice in premodern India, as well as the continuing impact of religion in today's globalized South Asia.

ASIA 270 (3/6) d China in World History

The history of China in a global context, from the earliest times to the most recent past; how China has changed the world and how engagement with the world has changed China. Equivalency: HIST 270.

ASIA 300 (3) Writing and Culture in East Asia

Practical, aesthetic, historical, technological and political issues pertaining to the use of Chinese characters - hanzi (Chinese), kanji (Japanese), or hanccha (Korean) - throughout the region.

ASIA 301 (3) Buddhism in the Modern Era

Buddhism from the nineteenth century to present day with special emphasis on its history and character in local settings, including specific traditions such as Tibetan Nyingma and Japanese Zen, as well as the development of a modern and global "Buddhism."

ASIA 302 (3) Theravada Buddhism

History, story, and culture of the major form of Buddhism primarily focused on the regions of Sri Lanka, and mainland Southeast Asia, including southern Vietnam, parts of southern China, spread to Nepal, and modern global diffusion.

ASIA 303 (3) Mahayana Buddhism

Historical and philosophical development of Mahayana Buddhism.

ASIA 304 (3) Survey of South and Southeast Asian Performing Arts

An historical perspective of the performing arts of South and Southeast Asia, highlighting the role of music, dance, and the dramatic arts in the lives of actors and audiences. Option to complete a practicum performance.

Engaging with the ideologies, industrial histories, socio-cultural contexts, and aesthetics of horror films - and the genre itself - from various Asian cinemas.

ASIA 306 (3) Esoteric Buddhism

Overview of Buddhism's rich and complex esoteric traditions in the Himalayan region and South, Southeast, and East Asia, with particular emphasis on texts, commentaries, and practices from a variety of traditions, locales and time periods.

ASIA 307 (3) Korean Language and Writing in Culture and Society

An examination of Korean language and writing using approaches from sociolinguistics, the sociology of language, and linguistic anthropology.

ASIA 308 (3) Myth, Ritual and Epic in Ancient India

Myths of creation Gods and goddesses of the Vedic pantheon. Connections with myths in other parts of the world, particularly in the Indo-European tradition. Literary representations of the myths.

ASIA 309 (3) South Asian Beyond South Asia

A history of South Asian peoples and communities that emigrated overseas, including Indo-Canadians.

ASIA 310 (3/6) d Studies in the History of a Major Asian Civilization

Study of an Asian culture area different from those covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.

ASIA 311 (3) Tibetan Buddhism

Religious terrain of the Tibetan cultural realm, looking at the history and development of Tibetan Buddhism and key ideas of the four main Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

ASIA 312 (3) Buddhism in Korea

Historical, cultural and philosophical development of Korean Buddhism.

ASIA 313 (3) Tibetan and Himalayan Culture and Society

History and culture of the Himalayan regions, including India, China, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan.

ASIA 314 (3) Premodern Japan

Japanese history (political, economic, social and cultural) to 1600.

ASIA 315 (3) Japan from Feudal to Modern State

Japanese history from 1600 to the Meiji Restoration. Political, economic, social and cultural forces which were involved in transforming Japan.

ASIA 316 (3) Race and Ethnicity in Japanese Literature and Film

Examines relations between majority and minority groups in Japanese society and changing definitions of "Japan" through literature and film from Japan.

ASIA 317 (3) The Rise of Korean Civilization

The evolution of a distinctive Korean civilization within the East Asian cultural sphere. Primary focus on cultural, social and political development from the earliest times to the sixteenth century.

ASIA 318 (3) Premodern India

A survey of the history and culture of India from the earliest historic period to 1200 and the coming of Islam, with emphasis on the evolution of classical Hindu civilization.

ASIA 319 (3) History of Indonesian Civilization

Survey of the archipelago from the 10th century to the present. Social organization, major religions, economic and political developments from the pre-modern period, through Dutch colonial rule to independence.

ASIA 320 (3) History of Early China

History of China from the earliest times to the disintegration of the Tang empire. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the origins and foundations of Chinese society. Equivalency: HIST 378.

ASIA 323 (3) History of Cantonese Worlds

The history, culture, languages, and identities of the multi-faceted Cantonese worlds, in the context of Chinese history and the Cantonese diaspora. Equivalency: HIST 377.

ASIA 324 (3) Literature of Hong Kong

A survey of the literature of Hong Kong, from classical times to the present. Important periods in literary history (imperial, colonial, post-colonial), major authors (locals, visitors, and writers elsewhere), and important genres, including poetry, essays, and fiction.

ASIA 325 (3) Hong Kong Cinema

A survey of the cinema of Hong Kong from the post-war period to the present. The influence of Hong Kong on global cinema, and the forces (artists, studios, audiences, etc.) that have given rise to filmmaking styles and genres perceived as "distinctively Hong Kong."

ASIA 326 (3) Critical Approaches to Manga and Anime

A critical introduction to Japanese manga and anime in the 20th and 21st centuries.

ASIA 327 (3) Korean Popular Music in Context

History, contexts, and the genres of Korean popular music. Students will analyze specific artists and songs using a range of approaches. While an understanding of basic concepts of music will be helpful, no previous exposure to ethnomusicology or music performance is required.

ASIA 328 (3) Medieval India

The history, culture, and social and economic organization of South Asia from the decline of the classical Hindu empires through the Sultanate period.

ASIA 329 (3) Gender in Southeast Asia

A critical examination of what it means to be a woman or a man within the social and cultural context of Southeast Asia. What "masculinity" and "femininity" signify in Indonesia's society; how these concepts are reaffirmed or challenged.

ASIA 330 (3) Islam in South Asia

Islam as a transnational phenomenon with specific reference to its South Asian forms.

ASIA 331 (3) Islam in Indonesia

Islam as a transnational phenomenon with specific reference to its Indonesian forms.

Key ideas and trends in Confucian thought and practice from its origins to modern times through primary sources in translation and secondary scholarship.

ASIA 333 (3) Contemporary South Asian Gender and Sexuality Studies

Main theories and key concepts with a particular focus on the changing status of women, and gender and sexual minorities.

ASIA 334 (3) Indonesian Cinema

Representations of social and political relations, cultural traditions and regional differences, marriage, family and kinship ties, and gender politics in Indonesia as shown through Indonesian cinema.

ASIA 337 (3) The Korean People in Modern Times (1600 to the present)

The transformation of Korea from a Confucian state into an industrial nation. The rise of nationalism and modern ideologies in Korea. Cultural, social and economic changes Korea has undergone as it has entered the modern world.

ASIA 338 (3) Modern India: From Conquest to Raj

The history of India from the coming of the Europeans to the rise of the nationalist movement with emphasis on the social and economic impact of British imperialism.

ASIA 339 (3) The Construction of South Asian Communities in the Diaspora

An examination of contemporary South Asian communities in the diaspora. Topics of particular importance are family life, religious life, notions of space, communal memory, literary and visual representation.

ASIA 340 (3) History of Later Imperial China

History of China from the end of Tang to the eve of its modern transformation. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the political, socio-economic, and cultural changes in imperial China. Equivalency: HIST 379.

Readings in drama and fiction, 800 to 1800 AD. The emergence of vernacular genres as distinct from and sometimes opposed to the existing classical genres.

ASIA 343 (3) Film in South Asia

Social and cultural history of South Asian film.

ASIA 344 (3/9) d Topics in Japanese Cultural History I: Aristocrats and Warriors

Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the courtly or warrior culture of Japan.

ASIA 345 (3) Chinese Film Classics

Introduction to and analysis of artistically significant films made in mainland China during the first half century of Chinese film history. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 346 (3-9) d Topics in Japanese Cultural History II: The Early Modern Age

Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the culture of early modern Japan.

ASIA 347 (3) Traditional Korean Literature in Translation

An introduction to Korean literature from ancient times to 1900.

ASIA 348 (3) Great Literary Works of Classical India in Translation

Major Sanskrit and Prakrit literary genres as developed in the Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina traditions, including folktales of riddle, intrigue, etc. Ramayana, Mahabharata. Polished poems of the urbane. Plays. Learned novels and long poems.

ASIA 349 (3) Southeast Asian Literature in Translation

Literary works from the Malay/Indonesian-speaking world (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and some from other regions (mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines). All readings in English translation.

ASIA 350 (3) Asian Literature in Translation: A Comparative Approach

A comparative approach to the literatures of East, South and Southeast Asia focusing on a specific theme.

ASIA 351 (3) Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation

Reading of selected novels and stories written between 1750 and the present.

ASIA 352 (3) Topics in Traditional Chinese Vernacular Literature

Traditional Chinese culture as seen through reading and discussion of exemplary literary works in the vernacular language.

ASIA 353 (3) Introduction to Hindi Film

History, aesthetics, politics, and social roles of Bollywood films. Seminar discussions in English; Hindi films with English subtitles.

ASIA 354 (3) Introduction to Japanese Cinema

Students will be introduced to the work of the major directors (e.g., Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kurosawa, Itami, Oshima, Shinoda). Ideological uses of literary texts and period pieces (e.g., Ugetsu, Life of Oharu, Double Suicide). Impact of depiction of Japanese in American film.

Gender relations as portrayed in Southeast Asian films and writings in English translation by women and men from the Malay/Indonesian-speaking world, mainland Southeast Asia, and the Philippines.

ASIA 360 (3-9) d A Specific Asian Literature in Translation

Introduction to the literature of a linguistic area of Asia not covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult the Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.

ASIA 361 (3) Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation II

A thematic survey of modern Chinese fiction and film in translation.

ASIA 362 (3/6) d Pre-Modern Japanese Fiction (in translation)

The influential genre of early tales and fiction in pre-modern Japan.

ASIA 363 (3) Fiction and Film from Modern Taiwan

A reading-intensive survey of literary and cinematic culture in Taiwan since the early 20th century: colonialism, the national divide, nativism, trauma, cosmopolitanism, and utopian imaginings. In English.

ASIA 364 (3/9) d Modern Japanese Literature in Translation

An introduction to the literature and cultural history of modern Japan, with readings drawn from various literary genres, from 1868 to the present.

ASIA 365 (3) Punjabi Cinema

Punjabi culture, history, and social values through films. The class includes film viewings and seminar discussions. Films will be screened with English subtitles.

ASIA 366 (3) Edo-Period Theatre

Edo-period puppet and kabuki theaters, with additional attention to the latterÆs representation in woodblock prints and the construction of gender roles in theatre.

ASIA 367 (3) Contemporary Korean Culture

An introduction to the literature, drama, music, and art of Korea today. Particular attention will be paid to the continuing influence of traditional themes and forms.

ASIA 368 (3) Modern Literatures of South Asia in Translation

Fiction, drama, and poetry of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, including works in English translation and originally written in English.

ASIA 369 (3) Asian Folklore

A survey of oral and expressive traditions in Asia, including jokes, superstitions, fairy tales, myths, music, and foodways; practical training in collecting and archiving folklore.

Chinese thought from the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) to Wang Yangming (1472-1529) in its historical and cultural contexts.

ASIA 373 (3) History of Hong Kong

History, culture, and identities of Hong Kong from the early 1800s to the present. Equivalency: HIST 373.

ASIA 374 (3) Imagining Punjab

The cultural and linguistic region of Punjab as it has been imagined in different times and places, in South Asia and beyond, in literature, scholarship, film, and popular culture.

ASIA 375 (3) Global Chinese Cinemas

A survey of Chinese cinemas in global perspective, covering films, filmmakers, producers, audiences, markets, industries, and critical discourse since the early twentieth century. Covers both cinematic culture and filmmaking technique.

ASIA 376 (3) The Sikhs: Formations, Contexts, and Historical Development

Introduction to the historical development of Sikh traditions in India and Diaspora, from the 15th century to the present, with attention to broader historical contexts.

ASIA 377 (3) History of Korean Thought

An examination of Korean religious, philosophical, and scientific thought from the earliest written records to the present day, with particular focus on the interaction of Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and, in the present century, Christianity.

ASIA 378 (3) Philosophical Wisdom of Early India

Epistemological and ontological thought from the Vedic period to the period of the rise of philosophical schools or systems Philosophy in the Mahabharata, Gita; early Buddhist and Jain views on knowledge and reality; views on language. Equivalency: PHIL 378.

ASIA 379 (6) The Sikhs: History, Religion and Society

A historical study of the social and cultural forces that helped shape Sikh religious beliefs and ritual practices over the past four centuries. In dealing with the evolution of Sikh identity, due attention will be given to Sikh ideals, social organization, religious institutions and sacred literature. Equivalency: HIST 389.

ASIA 380 (6) The Making of Modern China: Nationalism, War, Revolution

The history of China from 1800 to the present including the decline of the Qing empire, the rise of modern nationalism, foreign invasion, and China's multiple revolutions. Equivalency: HIST 380.

A study of the Daoist religious traditions from their beginnings in the second century CE in their cultural, intellectual and social contexts. Equivalency: RELG 365.

ASIA 382 (3) Buddhism in China

History, thought, and practices of Chinese Buddhism from its beginnings until the twentieth century. Equivalency: RELG 366.

ASIA 383 (3) Common Religious Traditions in China

A study of the religious practices and beliefs shared by the great majority of people in traditional Chinese culture, including ancestor worship, seasonal festivals, offerings to deities, exorcism of harmful forces.

ASIA 384 (3) The Zhuangzi (Chuang-Tzu)

Introduction to a foundational text of East Asian thought. Both the primary text and its reception in traditional and modern contexts will be examined.

ASIA 385 (3) Chan/Zen Buddhism: Doctrine and Practice

The history, doctrines, and practices of Chan Buddhism, particularly the profound influence of Chan Buddhism on various aspects of East Asian culture.

Debates on issues of epistemology, language and ontology among the philosophical schools or systems of classical India Nagarjuna, Bhartrhari, Uma-svati, Sankara and others. Equivalency: PHIL 388.

ASIA 390 (3) History of the Indian Ocean World

Societies and empires shaped by voyages of exploration, religious pilgrimages, trading diasporas and forced migration in the world of the Indian Ocean.

ASIA 391 (3) An Introduction to the Indo-Persian Cosmopolis/Knowledge Systems

Cultural interactions between Delhi and the wider Dar al Islam with indigenous groups and local culture from the 13th to the 19th centuries.

ASIA 392 (3) Classical Persian Literature in English Translation

Works of classical Persian literature dating from the tenth to the seventeenth century (in English translation).

ASIA 393 (3) History of Iran from the Sasanians to the Safavids

Iranian history from the fall of the Sasanian empire and the Arab conquest of Iran to the rise of Iranian dynasties in the east, the reign of Turkic and Turko-Mongolian rulers, and the formation of a Shiæite Iran under the Safavids.

ASIA 394 (3) Post-Revolutionary Iranian Cinema

Gender politics, family relationships, and women's social, economic, and political roles in post-revolutionary Iran as shown through Iranian cinema.

History of cultural ideas that led to IndiaÆs transformation from a traditional, colonial society tied to the British empire to a postcolonial, pluralistic, development oriented parliamentary democracy.

ASIA 398 (3) Narrative Literature in Premodern India

Stories of gods, goddesses and religious heroes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Avadanas and in classical poetry and drama.

ASIA 402 (3) Language, Writing, and Linguistic Thought in the History of the Sinographic Cosmopolis

History of language, writing and linguistic thought in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam from a comparative perspective and focusing on the dissolution of this translocal cultural formation with the onset of modernity. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.Prerequisite: Restricted to fourth-year students. At least 12 credits of any level of CHIN, JAPN, or KORN or placement approval. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 405 (3) The Interaction of Science, Religion, and Philosophy in East Asia

The influence of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity on the way peoples of East Asia understood and manipulated the natural world, focussing on the natural sciences.

The postcolonial nation-state and the challenge of a multi-religious society. Religious and secular discourse in colonial India, the partition, the modern constitution, secularism, Hindu and Muslim mobilization, and religious radicalism and communal violence. Prerequisite: Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 410 (3) International Relations in Premodern East Asia

International relations, particularly between Korea and Japan in the premodern East Asian context, focusing on migration, trade, diplomacy, war, collective memory, mutual perceptions, and the context of the Sinocentric international order.

ASIA 411 (3) Chinese Political Thought and Institutions

Chinese theories and practices of government and administration from earliest times to 1949. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 414 (3) Architecture and Urbanism in Islamic South Asia

Historical factors shaping Indian architecture from the 13th to the 19th centuries.

ASIA 418 (3) Social History of India

Fundamental institutions including family, caste and religious organizations, with emphasis on the early modern and British periods.

ASIA 427 (3) Topics in Korean Popular Culture (Hallyu)

A survey of one of the primary areas of Korean popular culture, such as television dramas, film, K-Pop music, graphic novels and webtoons, or Hanshik cuisine. Prerequisite: One of ASIA 327, ASIA 347, ASIA 357, ASIA 447, ASIA 452, ASIA 457. Or placement approval. Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 428 (3) Mughal India

History of the politics, economy, society, and culture of South Asia from the Great Mughals to the British conquest.

ASIA 430 (3) International Relations in Modern East Asia: Korea and Japan

Depictions of Muslims in South Asian cinema, with a particular focus on the Hindi film industry. Prerequisite: Third-year standing.

ASIA 434 (6) History of Southeast Asia since 1800

Equivalency: HIST 383.

ASIA 438 (3) Twentieth Century South Asia

ASIA 440 (3) Cultural History of Imperial China

An in-depth examination of the construction, transmission, and transformation of Chinese culture(s) prior to 1800. Completion of at least 9 credits of 300- or 400-level ASIA recommended prior to registration. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 440 or HIST 479.

Reading of a classic novel or play, with attention to intellectual, social, and political subtexts as well as aesthetic dimensions and problems of interpretation.

ASIA 442 (3) Lives of Chinese Books

Concepts and methods for understanding the lives of books across time, through an examination of both the material forms of a text and its cultural reception. Focus on one major work from pre-modern China.

ASIA 444 (3-9) d Topics in Modern Japanese Fiction and Cultural History

Focuses on a limited time period or particular aspect of modern Japanese literature.

ASIA 447 (3) Korean Women's Literature

Women's voices and issues in the Korean literary tradition, from earliest times to the new millennium, in translation. Prerequisite: One of ASIA 347, ASIA 357. Permission of instructor is also acceptable.

ASIA 448 (3) Narrative and Performance in South Asia

Key theoretical issues in the production and enactment of folk narratives in traditional and modern South Asian cultures. Intended for advanced undergraduates in Asian folklore studies. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 448 or ASIA 547. Prerequisite: ASIA 369.

ASIA 450 (3-12) d Special Topics in Buddhist Studies

For upcoming offerings, including course descriptions, please see section information in the UBC course schedule at https://courses.students.ubc.ca/cs/main.

A survey of literature, in translation, from the Korean diaspora, focusing on writing by ethnic Koreans in North America, Europe, and Japan. Prerequisite: One of ASIA 347, ASIA 357, ASIA 447, ASIA 457.

An introduction to Japanese poetry from its origins in song and myth, to its development from a courtly art (waka) to a popular pastime (haiku). Influences on prose, autobiography, and theatre will also be considered.

ASIA 455 (3) Adaptations of Japanese Classics

Introduction to literary, stage, and film adaptations of Japanese classics and legends and the ways in which these "new" works appropriate the past to comment on the present.

ASIA 456 (3) History and Culture of Taiwan

The major social, economic, political, and cultural changes in Taiwan since the seventeenth century; the post-World War II process of democratization and TaiwanÆs place in the contemporary world.

ASIA 457 (3) The Modern Korean Novel

Survey of major single-volume novels, ranging from Yi Kwang-su's Heartlessness to Ch'oe Yun's There a Petal Silently Falls, in translation. Prerequisite: ASIA 357 or permission of instructor.

ASIA 460 (3) Modern Asian Women in Narrative

Experience of women in the context of a particular Asian culture, as seen through literature, popular culture, film and folklore. Narrative as a medium for the representation and constitution of gender.

ASIA 464 (3) Japanese Women's Self-Writing

Selected aspects of the more than 1000 years of self-writing (diary, autobiography, personal fiction). Theory and criticism about the use of writing as a medium of self-expression.

ASIA 466 (3) The History of Christianity in Asia

A survey of Christian proselytizing drives in South, Southeast, and East Asia, focusing on the period since 1500 and the reasons for successes (the Phillipines and Korea, for example) and failures (Japan). Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 466 or 566.

ASIA 468 (3) Approaches to the Study of Asian Religions

The Western genealogy and problematics of religion, issues in its application to non-Western cultures and traditions, and the practical study of Asian religions, in Asia and its diasporas. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.Prerequisite: One of ASIA 376, ASIA 381, ASIA 382, ASIA 383, ASIA 387. Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 470 (3) Comparative Conceptions of the Self

Ways in which the "self" has been portrayed in eastern and western religious traditions. Thinkers to be considered include Aristotle, Mencius, Freud, Xunzi (Hs?n-tzu), Nietzsche, and Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu).

ASIA 475 (3) Documenting Punjabi Canada

Exploration of the history of the Punjabi Canadian community through traditional text-based methods and oral history collection (in English or Punjabi).

ASIA 476 (3-9) d Topics in Sikh and South Asian Studies

Seminar class designed to explore current scholarly debates in South Asian and Sikh Studies. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 476 or ASIA 576. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.

ASIA 477 (3) New Religious Movements of East Asia

Examines the rise of new religious movements in China, Japan, and Korea over the last two centuries, from the Taiping, Tonghak, and Tenri-kyo to the Unification Church, SGI International, and Falun Gong. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 477 or ASIA 577. Prerequisite: Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 478 (3) The Religious Image in Asia

The religious image and related material culture within Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Sikhism with special attention to methodological concerns. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 478 or ASIA 578. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.

ASIA 484 (3) The History of the Choson Dynasty

Political, social, and cultural history of Korea's Choson Dynasty, focusing on how it lasted from 1392 to 1910 and why it collapsed so quickly at the beginning of the twentieth century. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 484 or ASIA 587.

ASIA 485 (3) Inventing Asian Religions in the West/East Encounter

An examination of how western imperial expansion transformed the descriptions and practices of Asian traditions through systems of classification, missionaries, discovery of languages, modernity, and fragmentation.

ASIA 488 (3) Religion, Society and State in Modern India

History of secular and religious discourse in post-independent India. Partition, state policy of secularism, religious mobilization among Hindus and Muslims, communal violence and religious radicalism.

ASIA 490 (3) Asian Classics - Fourth Year Seminar

Focus changes from year to year. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor and fourth-year standing.

ASIA 495 (3) Folk Cultures in the Asian Diaspora

The mediation of folklore (e.g. slang, songs, games, dance, foodways) in the everyday lives of immigrant and transnational Asian communities. Emphasis on Asian-Canadian folklore in Greater Vancouver through digital documentary media production and archival folklore research. Prerequisite: Restricted to 4th year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 498 (3) Asia in Museums/the Museum in Asia

Museological representations of Asia and Asian forms of museological representation in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 498 or ASIA 598. Prerequisite: Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 499 (3) Honours Thesis

Restricted to fourth-year students admitted to the Honours Program in Asian Studies. Prerequisite: Restricted to fourth-year students. Prior to registration, a minimum of 9 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework recommended.

ASIA 521 (3/6) d Research Methods and Source Materials in Japanese Studies

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 522 (3/6) d Readings in kambun kundoku

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.Prerequisite: JAPN 312.

ASIA 523 (3-18) d Topics in the History and Structure of the Japanese Language

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 524 (3) Japanese for Specialists of China and Korea

Reading seminar in Japanese scholarly material dealing with China and/or Korea for graduate students who have a reading knowledge of Chinese and/or Korean and some knowledge of Japanese. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 525 (3-18) d Topics in the Social History of Japanese Religions

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 528 (3-18) d Problems of Japanese Intellectual History

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 532 (3-18) d Topics in Traditional Japanese Literature

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 533 (3-18) d Topics in Modern Japanese Literature

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 541 (3-18) d Research Methods and Source Materials in South Asian Studies

This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 543 (3-18) d Topics in the History and Structure of Indian Languages

Focus changes from year to year, please check the Department website for current course syllabi. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 591 (3) Critical Issues in Asian Studies

Proseminar introducing major methodological and conceptual themes in the contemporary study of Asia, modern and pre-modern. Required of all Asian Studies PhD students, normally in their first year. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 592 (3) The Profession of Asian Studies

Introduction to essential skills for academic and professional work in Asian Studies. Outlines career trajectories in the PhD and beyond, including grant applications, cv-writing, and job searches. Required of Asian Studies PhD students, normally in their first year. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

ASIA 598 (3) Asia in Museums/the Museum in Asia

Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 498 or ASIA 598. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.